Murdoch’s News Corp agrees to buy Talksport owner Wireless Group

Murdoch’s News Corp has agreed to pay £220m for the broadcaster as part of a strategy to combat falling print revenue

The 85-year-old Australian media mogul ‘rarely backs a loser’

(Rex)

News Corp has agreed to buy UK radio broadcaster Wireless Group for around £220 million to gain media brands including Talksport, which has the digital audio rights for Premier League and FA Cup football matches.

News Corp, The Sun and The Times publisher led by billionaire chairman Rupert Murdoch, is offering Wireless shareholders 315 pence in cash for each share.

In addition, shareholders will receive previously announced dividends totaling 13.75 pence.

The offer is 70 per cent above Wireless’ closing price of 185 pence in London on Wednesday, News Corp said in a statement.

“News Corp believes that Wireless represents an excellent strategic fit with its existing operations, broadening News Corp’s range of services in the UK, Ireland and internationally,” the company said.

Wireless Group advanced 68 per cent to 310 pence at 16:40pm in London. The shares had declined 24 per cent this year before today’s announcement.

News Corp has been investing in digital and international operations to compensate for falling print revenue at its newspapers as readers go online.

Wireless Group complements the audience of The Sun and offers significant opportunity for cross-promotion, the publisher said.

The offer for Belfast-based Wireless, which comes a week after Britons voted to leave the European Union, follows a trend of investing in the UK and Ireland for News Corp, the company said.

Wireless operates several digital businesses and a number of radio stations, including Talksport, which it says is the world’s biggest sports radio station. The company, formerly known as UTV Media, sold its television assets to ITV for £100m in February.

© Bloomberg